Sentimental Journey is the first solo album release by former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr in 1970, as the band was splintering apart. Although Starr was the third member of the group to issue solo work (after John Lennon and George Harrison), Sentimental Journey is notable for being the first proper studio album by a member of the band, in light of the experimental, soundtrack or live releases his aforementioned bandmates had already released. Paul McCartney's debut, McCartney would follow three weeks after Sentimental Journey's release.

Beginning in October 1969, Starr engaged the services of Beatles producer George Martin to helm his solo debut. The idea, thematic in approach, was to create an album of standards that would reflect his parents' favorite songs, even asking them and other members of his family to choose the tracks. In addition, he would have one song each arranged by different musicians, ranging from Martin himself, Paul McCartney, Maurice Gibb, Quincy Jones and old friend of The Beatles from Hamburg (and bassist with Manfred Mann) Klaus Voormann, among others. Although begun during the sessions, Starr's own composition, "It Don't Come Easy", would appear as a single in 1971. Recording of the album was completed in March 1970, with Sentimental Journey being rushed out merely two weeks later in order to avoid clashing in the shops with The Beatles' impending final album Let It Be in May and McCartney, whose 17 April release date its maker flatly refused to delay after being asked to by the other members of the band.

Sentimental Journey received fair reviews upon its release, although many critics found the idea of Starr covering standards a bit odd considering his musical background. His fame in The Beatles was all that was required, however, to get it all the way to #7 in the UK - with no single release to promote it - and #22 in the United States. Although the style of the album took many by surprise, Starr's swift follow-up, Beaucoups of Blues, would be just as radical a stylistic shift.

Sentimental Journey was remastered and reissued on CD in 1995.

Track listing"Sentimental Journey" (Bud Green/Les Brown/Bon Homer) – 3:26 Arranged by Richard Perry First released by Doris Day in 1945 "Night And Day" (Cole Porter) – 2:25 Arranged by Chico O'Farrill First released by Fred Astaire and Claire Luce in 1932 "Whispering Grass (Don't Tell The Trees)" (Fred Fisher/Doris Fisher) – 2:37 Arranged by Ron Goodwin First released by The Ink Spots in 1940 "Bye Bye Blackbird" (Mort Dixon/Ray Henderson) – 2:11 Arranged by Maurice Gibb First released by Eddie Cantor in 1926 "I'm A Fool To Care" (Ted Daffan) – 2:39 Arranged by Klaus Voormann First released by Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1954 "Stardust" (Hoagy Carmichael/Mitchell Parish) – 3:22 Arranged by Paul McCartney First released by Emile Seidel and Orchestra in 1927 "Blue Turning Grey Over You" (Andy Razaf/Fats Waller) – 3:19 Arranged by Oliver Nelson First released by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra in 1930 "Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing" (Sammy Fain/Paul Webster) – 3:05 Arranged by Quincy Jones First released by The Four Aces in 1955 "Dream" (Johnny Mercer) – 2:42 Arranged by George Martin First released by The Pied Pipers in 1945 "You Always Hurt The One You Love" (Allan Roberts/Doris Fisher) – 2:20 Arranged by John Dankworth First released by The Mills Brothers in 1944 "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" (Scott Wiseman) – 2:44 Arranged by Elmer Bernstein First released by Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman in 1945 "Let The Rest Of The World Go By" (Ernest Ball/Karen Brennan) – 2:55 Arranged by Les Reed First released by Dick Haymes in 1944

Thanks to Brainwashed for keeping this going!!!Well this album reminds me somewhat of the limbo...how low can you go. It's not a bad concept, I love lots of songs from this era, and Ringo's voice could work, depending on choice of material. The thing is a whole lot of the time his voice doesn't work. And far worse yet, most of the arrangements here have a horn heavy Vegas shtick to them, that reduces a lot of their value to purely camp...and not very good camp at that. Maybe there is a wink & smile on some of the intention with a few numbers, but it doesn't mean that it's any more enjoyable to listen to.The thing is a similar concept, concentrating on a single genre of music for the whole album, would work with the forthcoming "Beaucoups Of Blues". That album is a real overlooked outlaw country classic that stands proudly with efforts from the same era by other country-rock pioneers such as Mike Nesmith, and Gram Parsons. It succeeds on about the same proportional level that this one fails. I know there are a few at least better, and maybe even good songs, but honestly I can't be bothered to go back & discover what they are/were. Suffice to say that you'd have to wait for "Bad Boy", and "Ringo The IV" to hear a Beatle do something this lame again. Blessings!!!!

I'm more in the corner with linclink and ?Henry?the bannister. It's not very good. I bought it on vinyl years ago, and my copy is still virtually new, cause it's not an album that had me reaching for it much.